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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories

by Chautona Havig · 6 Comments

I have a secret to share. Better listen closely, because I’ll only admit to this once.  The ghosts of authors past will haunt me in my nightmares if I dare to do this as it is. But you see, authors aren’t just hyper-creatives who crack open the rooms of their imaginations and allow you a glimpse inside.

Oh, no.

These books… they’re catharsis–that amazing thing that happens when some pet peeve gets under your skin and festers.  So, instead of eradicating said peeve, we welcome it into the inner sanctum of our imagination, offer it a place on the comfiest couch, and ask it to reveal its deepest secrets.

Secrets we then exploit to our hearts’ content.  And, well… for that catharsis thing.  And you know what?  That’s where we get our best stories.

Caveat: This post is purely speculation—my imaginings gone a little wild. Those pesky peeves are really good at that.

How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories

Note: links may be affiliate links which provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Jane Austen’s pet peeve: the idea that women must be emotional, melodramatic, irrational creatures.

So Rough a Course
For a fun speculation as to what happened to Anne’s sister, Elizabeth, I recommend this series! For more about it, check my review HERE.

I imagine a parlor—pretty papers on the wall, but not elegant. Just the kind of papers one would expect of a small, country manor. Miss Austen flings a book aside, dismayed and discouraged by the portrayal of women in books. “The last offered the image of a young lady with little sense and even less courage—inclined to the melodramatic and macabre. And this drivel…”

Her sister offers a comforting smile. “Write a better story, Jane.”

And so it begins. What began as a single satirical novel in the Gothic vein, grows into another as the second character refuses to share the stage with such a silly creature as that Catherine Moreland. “I’ll have to give Sophia her own story. Perhaps the wife of an Admiral. I imagine her with him on every journey, always eager to be by his side.”

“But would a woman find such accommodations agreeable, Jane? Are allowing your indignation too much rein?”

A smile forms as Jane scribbles a note to herself, speaking each word aloud as she does. “Have… someone… question… her… sin-cer-i-ty. She… then… asserts… ‘I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.’”

L. M. Montgomery’s pet peeve: when people leave the constructive out of criticism.

Anne of Green GablesThe page rustled as, weary and in desperate need of a cup of tea and a sandwich, Lucy turned the paper over to pull forward the next in a thick stack of pages to be edited. Chicken scratches over the surface of the page forced her eyes inward until they crossed.

“I’m as cross as my eyes! Is any word sufficiently grand for this editor? Is the difference between ‘alarming’ and ‘startling’ so very great that I must consider a change? Now if we compared say… languid with… foreboding….” (note… this is adapted from te movie.  Work with me here.)

Lucy swept the stack of papers from her desk and watched the delicious effects of gravity. Most landed on the floor with a satisfying thud—sliding a bit, of course, but rather intact. But the top layers caught a bit of air as they left the surface and floated to the floor in swoops and sweeps reminiscent of a kite in the wind.

“If those scratches were the words of a wife, or husband—a mother or grandmother—they’d have the encouraging effects of Rachel Lynde when riled. I do believe I’d just run away!”

She sat there, arms folded over her chest, pen abandoned on the desk. The rustle of skirts—it would be the new girl. “Mrs. Montgomery, ma’am?”

“Yes, Esther…” Despite every effort, the weariness she felt impregnated itself in both words.

“Oh, your work! I’ll—”

“Leave it, Esther. What did you need?”

This time Lucy’s met the girl’s gaze and she attempted a weak smile. Esther beamed a great, wide smile that seemed to engulf half her face. “It’s just those valancy things that go over the windows? One looks awful faded, ma’am, and the rain’ll be here before it dries…”

“Leave them off, then. I’ve been planning new ones, any—”

But mid-word, Lucy turned, pulled a new sheet of paper from the drawer, and began scribbling a line.

If it had not rained on a certain May morning, Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been very different.”

Agatha Christie’s pet peeve: when husbands use the mental to cure the physical.

Hercule PoirotThe pen dropped onto the page, as Agatha stared at the insipid words with which she’d just soiled a perfectly innocent piece of paper. Across the room, a newspaper rustled. Without bothering to lower it, Archie Christie cleared his throat and said, “Trouble in paradise, darling?”

“I don’t believe that any rational human being is capable of penning a decent romantic scene when the body demands sustenance.”

“There are biscuits in the tin—and a cup of tea would brace me nicely, as well.”

I imagine it would. I, on the other hand, long for something a bit more substantial. Sausages, or perhaps a beef chop. Yes, that would do nicely.

“Agatha…?”

She set down her pen and moved to retrieve her purse and hat. “I believe I’ll pop on down to Bouchard’s. I’ve a fearful desire for beef.” She gave a scornful look at the blank page waiting for her return. “I’ll never be able to write a declaration worth reading if I don’t fortify myself first.”

“Nonsense.” But despite his protest, Archie stood as if to follow. “It hasn’t been long enough since breakfast for your mind to be weakened with hunger.”

It hasn’t been long enough since breakfast for you to begin your incessant nattering, either.

Aloud, she merely said, “Are you sure my irrational company won’t be too much of a bother…”

“Of course, not. And I do adore Bouchard’s Belgian cream puffs.”

You would think only of sweets. But by the base of the steps, poor Archie had transformed in her mind’s eye. His trim figure ballooned into the gentle swell of a man much accustomed to excellent fare. His bushy mustache thinned, twisted, curled. A certain fastidiousness formed, and in a fit of contrariness, Agatha decided he’d much prefer weak tea—very weak tea.

She paused, turned, and raced back up again. “I’ll catch up to you, darling. I just need to take down this idea of mine.”

For hours, her pen scratched across the page. First a character—then a name Poirot. “He’ll be fastidious—as much as certain other gentlemen of my acquaintance. And he’ll be excessively concerned with the shape of his food…”

As she added another line, Agatha reached for one of the biscuits that filled the little plate beside her.

What is all this with the pet peeves?

Well, as you’ve probably surmised, this week’s topic in my blog challenge was “My biggest pet peeve.” Yeah. I do try, desperately, to roust out all pet peeves and send them to rescue farms in the country where they may grow and flourish without raising my ire and… yeah. Whatever. I didn’t really think you wanted to hear all about how annoying it is when book covers don’t match the insides.

Seriously, though. No matter how amazing a cover is… if the book takes place in winter in a super cold place, don’t show me a girl in a sundress walking hand-in-hand with her fella on a street canopied by green leaves from the trees overhead. Not that I’ve ever had that happen to me.

I still haven’t left that review. As you can see, that’s probably a good thing. Well, that’s all I’ve got for you. Until next week and something about word count. Oh, that sounds scintillating. Woo.

Confession: I just glanced at the scrawl in my planner and seriously thought next week’s blog post prompt said, “How much do good covers matter.”  Ahem.  Maybe it’s bedtime.

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Comments

  1. Laura Hile says

    May 23, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    Chautona! I come over here, intrigued to learn more about your pet peeves — for they are the stuff of inspiration — and as I scroll along, what do I discover but … gasp … my Mercy’s Embrace book cover !!!

    Talk about a jaw dropper! Thanks for the props.

    Filling in white spaces, and reimagining an unexpected “what-if” direction for a story, are what we introverts love doing best.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 23, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      I think you did best what we do with pet peeves–taking a character that no one liked and making her sympathetic. THAT is brilliance, milady!

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Pittman says

    May 29, 2017 at 6:42 am

    Love the sentence “The pen dropped onto the page, as Agatha stared at the insipid words with which she’d just soiled a perfectly innocent piece of paper.” It’s great! And, yes. Book covers should match the story. That’s one of my pet peeves, too. I am hoping building my cover doesn’t take as long as writing my book… Just a question, did you mean to have “Until next week and something about word count. Oh, that sounds scintillating. Woo.” on there twice?

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 29, 2017 at 7:09 am

      Thank you for pointing it out. Dad burn it! WordPress has new bug . When I highlight one, it tends to just copy it instead of highlight. Off to get rid of the extra!

      Reply
  3. Lucinda Culp says

    May 29, 2017 at 4:38 am

    Oh, you did it! You set the scene from my very favorite book of all time. I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how “The Blue Castle” was conceived.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      May 29, 2017 at 7:07 am

      I could just see it!

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
byChautona Havig

Fans of Lisa Phillips’ Last Chance County series are doing happy dances following the release of an exciting new spin-off series, Last Chance Fire and Rescue. Expired Return brings back a few favorite characters and kicks off another of Sunrise Publishing’s author/mentor led fiction seasons! Listen in to find out what happens when an author brings back a guy she dropped a building on a couple of books back…

 

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you!

When Fans Want More Exciting Stories, Smart Authors Listen and Deliver!

Let’s face it. Authors might SOMETIMES be “done” with a series, but readers often want more… indefinitely. Well, with the brilliance of Sunrise Publishing’s mentor model, authors get to collaborate with authors they trust to do their “worlds” proud while still having time to write new, exciting things as well. And some of the Sunrise lead authors even write in the spin-off series–like Lisa Phillips and Trisha Goyer!

This new Last Chance County series promises everything we love about Lisa Phillips’ world–danger, intrigue, heart-stopping suspense, drama… you know… all the feels. But in addition to her own release, Expired Return, this series also introduces us to new authors who have been carefully vetted and selected to ensure they do justice to Lisa’s Last Chance characters. I, for one, can’t wait to check it all out.

Lisa and I chatted about what she plans for the series,Lisa hinted about a possible super-secret reveal coming soon, and I even poked her with the idea of a Last Chance Christmas.

Help me convince them on that, will ya?

But this new book… Whoa…

Expired Return by Lisa Phillips

Pepper stood up. “How dare you.” She could spit fire at him right now. She’d loved and supported Victory since the day she was born. “You know nothing about me.”

“What’s this?”

Pepper whirled around at that voice. Heart. Breaking. She loved that gruff, commanding voice more than anything else in the world.

He wore a look a lot like Aiden’s. Blank, which she knew—or hoped—had to do with protecting his heart because he still cared for her. Except he probably hated her.

Donaldson sat back in his chair. “Allen.”

Former police officer Allen Frees had both hands on the wheels of his chair. He wore a fire department uniform of slacks and a white shirt. Emblems. A badge. His life of service hadn’t ended when he landed in that chair after a building blew up over his head.

As far as she’d been able to tell, it barely slowed him down.

She’ll give everything to protect her family.

He always knew she was the one.

Veterinary tech Pepper Miller lives a quiet life in Last Chance County. She’s watching her niece until her sister shows up…if she ever does. When Victory’s father demands he take over her care, Pepper knows something has gone wrong. With a new drug in town, and her sister embroiled in a dangerous bargain, it’s up to Pepper to protect the people she loves.

Even if it costs every secret she’s ever kept.

Fire Department liaison Allen Frees lives with the injuries he sustained as a police officer in a raid gone wrong. He’s put his life back together but getting the truck crew and engine squad to succeed might be his toughest assignment yet. When Victory is nearly kidnapped at a community event, Allen steps in to help Pepper keep her niece safe. The one thing he couldn’t fix was the love he lost, but he isn’t going to let Pepper walk away this time.

No matter what walls he has to break down.

Last Chance County returns in this blazing new series from Sunrise Publishing.

Last Chance Fire and Rescue

  • Book 1: Expired Return
  • Book 2: Expired Hope (coming soon)
  • Book 3: Expired Promise (coming soon)
  • Book 4: Expired Vows (coming soon)

Last Chance County

  • Book 1: Expired Refuge
  • Book 2: Expired Secrets
  • Book 3: Expired Cache
  • Book 4: Expired Hero
  • Book 5: Expired Game
  • Book 6: Expired Plot
  • Book 7: Expired Getaway
  • Book 8: Expired Betrayal
  • Book 9: Expired Flight
  • Book 10: Expired End

Learn more about Lisa and her books on her WEBSITE.

Learn more about the different seasons (series) offered by Sunrise Publishing or how to audition with them on the Sunrise Publishing WEBSITE.

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Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
February 7, 2023
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His sister has a solution--lots of dates. Great, heaping gobs of them. Go ahead. Be awkward. Get used to it. Then... then try with someone you really want to get to know. He's not so confident, but when a man gives his word... (Note to self: no more agreeing to Selby's plans without knowing what they are!)
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Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first da Heath Karras has a problem. Lots of eager first dates... no second dates. With his propensity to spout random (and often bizarre) animal facts while nervous (he's always nervous around women) it's no wonder. 
His sister has a solution--lots of dates. Great, heaping gobs of them. Go ahead. Be awkward. Get used to it. Then... then try with someone you really want to get to know. He's not so confident, but when a man gives his word... (Note to self: no more agreeing to Selby's plans without knowing what they are!)
Find out what happens in Random Acts (or is it Facts?) of Shyness.

This book just got a fresh makeover, thanks to the genius of @PlethoraCreative & @PerryElizabeth.
There's a link to how to find it in my bio.
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